Carrying case for crutches



Aug. 29, 1967 c, FERRY 3,338,387

CARRYING CASE FOR CRUTCHES Filed Jan. 17, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY w

ATTORNEYS.

C. P. FERRY CARRYING CASE FOR CRUTCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Jan. 17, 1966 WM m m m m m M w .n: i L/ iv I \X T J 3M MU \O\ |i II IWHF I I I H H IH 4 1.0L llll I. V w\\\\ A M a w M w WV a y United States Patent 3,338,387 CARRYING CASE FOR CRUTCHES Carolyn Patricia Ferry, 2580 N. Moreland Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120 Filed Jan. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 521,168 7 Claims. (Cl. 206-1) This invention relates to demountable crutches and relates more particularly to a pair of demountable crutches in combination with a carrying case, providing a very compact, freely portable unit.

Such crutches and carrying case are of particular use by a person who at times is independent of crutches for a portion of his or her activities, for example, a

erson having an artificial leg. Such persons when the artificial leg is removed, as at bedtime, or for bathing, etc., are dependent on crutches for mobility.

Such crutches thus need to be portable and to be transportable in a case of preferably convenient small size, to facilitate storage, etc.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel combination of portable crutches and carrying case.

A further object is to provide a novel portable crutch of improved versatility of assembly, adjustment and of increased strength.

A still further object is to provide a novel carrying case for a demountable crutch, of the type referred to which is, compact in size, easily carried and stored, and eificiently accommodates a pair of crutches therein.

Other objects of the invention, and the invention itself, will become more readily apparent from a purview of the following description and appended claims and drawings, in which drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the novel crutch-' case combination of the present invention, illustrating the manner in which one of a pair of crutches is carried in the lid of the case and the other crutch of the pair is carried in the base of the case;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are opposite side elevational views of a crutch of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in all of which like parts are indicated by like reference characters, in FIGURE 1, I show a case comprising a lid 12 and a base 14, which are identical. However, when the lid 12 and the base 14 are placed in face-toface relation, the arrangements of internal parts perfectly complement one another and provide a very compact unit combination. As stated, identical and not mirror image case parts are used, thus substantially reducing tooling costs for manufacture.

Each unit of the case, viz. the lid 12 and base 14, comprises a plate-like wall 24, surrounded by a continuous peripheral wall, comprising ends 28 and sides 30.

The lid 12 and the base 14 are connected together, as shown, along corresponding sides 30 preferably by means of hinges 16. The lid 12 suitably includes a carrying handle 18 and female catch elements 20 on an opposite side 30. The base 14 suitably includes male catch elements 22 on the other opposite side 30.

A support pad unit 32 is disclosed secured to the base slightly to the left of a transverse center line of the base 14 as viewed in FIGURE 1. The lid 12 is similarly fitted with a support pad unit 23 slightly to taken along the line the right of a transverse center line of the lid, so that with the corresponding sides of the case hinged, these are staggered. Each support pad unit 32 comprises a plate-like base member 34 fastened in place as by rivets 36 to its case section. A U-shaped bracket 38 is illustrated in FIGURE 1 fastened to the base member 34 and has its bight portion 40 in contacting relationship with the base member 34. Extending transversely of the bight portion 40 are upstanding arm portions 42.. Each arm portion 42 is provided with a semicircular recess 44 at its terminal end. These recesses 44 are used to cradle a tubular crutch part which will be described later herein. Coacting strap members 46, and 48, carrying mating elements of a snap fastener combination 50, complete the support pad unit 32 and one end of each of the strap members 46 and 48 is either secured to the bight portion 40 as shown in FIGURE 1, or to the base member 34, as will be apparent to the skilled artisan. If desired, the strap elements 46 and 48 can be parts of a single length of strap material, with the central portion passed beneath the bight portion 40 and thus secured in place.

To secure the other elements described herein in position within the case, strap fasteners 52, equivalent to the units 46, 48, 50 are secured to the respective case sections at a central portion of each of the sides 30 of the base 14 and the lid 12,

of the demountable crutch respectively.

Viewing FIGURE 1 it will be evident that the support pad unit 32 and the strap fasteners 52 perfectly complement one another when the lid 12 and the base 14 are closed together. Very close and compact arrangement of parts is thereby provided when the crutches are packaged in the carrying case 10 and the carrying case is closed.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, each of the crutch pair members is generally designated by reference numeral 54. Each crutch 54 comprises several subelements. These include a hand grip and arm support sleeve unit 56; a main support tube unit 58; and a base unit 60'.

The hand grip and arm support sleeve unit 56 includes a tubular member 62, including a lower portion 64 and an upper obtusely extending portion 66. The lower portion 64 is passed through a bore 68 of a hand grip hub member 70. These are suitably brazed or otherwise fastened together. A resilient hand grip 72, of rubber or soft plastic, is suitably fitted over the arm portion 74 extending transversely from the hub 70.

The arm support sleeve as tube 78 which telescopes within the upper obtusely extending tube portion 66. The tube 78 and the outer tube 66 are adjustably secured together by means of a spring loaded pin fastener of the type shown in FIGURE 4. Thus, two opposed pins 80 are carried by the free ends of a U-shaped spring 82 which lies within the inside circumference of the two telescoping tubes 78 and 66. The pins 80 disclosed project outwardly through aligned openings 0 in the inner tube, and are adapted to be projected through openings 84 spaced along the length of the outer tube, when the tube 66 or the inner tube 78 is moved lengthwise to bring the pins 80 in alignment with the openings 84, wherefor the pins are adapted to move outwardly through the openings in the tube 66 shown at 76 comprises a and thereby lock the two tubes together in an adjusted position.

The inner tube 78 carries a pin fastener of the nature described, adjacent to its bottom end. Accordingly, the inside tube 78 can be set at an adjusted position axially of the upper tube portion 66.

A support bar 86 has its lower end formed as a reduced stud 88. The reduced stud 88 is fitted into the top end of the tube 78. Any suitable fastening means can be used to secure the elements 88 and 78 together. At the upper end of the support bar 86 there is formed a pair of spaced ears 90 between which a pivot bar 92 is freely fitted. A pivot pin 94 passes through appropriate openings formed in the ears 90 and in the pivot bar 92. A split, arm-clamping sleeve 96 is secured to the pivot bar 92 in any suitable manner. As illustrated, all exposed edges of the sleeve 96 are rounded to afford comfort to the user of the crutch 54.

By virtue of the pivotal mounting of the arm-clamping sleeve 96 on the crutch support, the same is adapted to readily conform to the arm of a user for comfort and balance. Also adjustability of the sleeve 96, relative to the hand grip 72, is provided so that there can be a custom fit of the unit to the arm and hand of different people. The user can adjust the arm-clamping sleeve 96 to bear at any point along the lower length of the forearm.

The main support tube unit 58 comprises an outer tube 98 of substantial length, and a shorter inner tube 100 telescoped within the outer tube. In the modification illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the inner tube 100 is extended upwardly and abuts the lower end 64 of the tube 62 of the hand grip and arm support sleeve unit 56. For securing the members 100 and 98 within the case, as best shown in FIGURE 1, the tube 100 is first telescoped Within the tube 98.

To provide an operable relationship between the two tubes 98 and 100 for crutch assembly, the inner tube carries two spring-loaded pin fasteners of the type shown in FIGURE 4. Thus a pin fastener is carried at each end of the inner tube 100. For storage, the lower fastener is released and the tubes are telescoped together. The upper pin fastener then enters the openings 102 in the upper end of the outside tube 98.

To assemble the crutch for use, first the inner tube 100 is extended by releasing the upper pin fastener and the bottom pin unit then positioned within the openings 102. With the inner tube 100 thus extended and telescoped into the lower portion 64 of the upper pin fastener of the inner tube 100 extends through the openings 104 in the inner tube 100 and fastens the upper end of the inner tube and the lower portion 64 of the tubular member 62 together.

The base unit 60 comprises a tube 106 telescopically adapted to be positioned within the outer tube 98 of the main support tube unit 58. At the upper end, the tube 106 carries internally a spring-loaded pin fastener of the nature of that shown in FIGURE 4. For length adjustability, a plurality of pairs of opposed openings 108 are provided at the lower portion of the main tube 98 spaced axially along the length of said tube. The tube 106 can thus be adjustably telescoped into the tube 98 and the length of the crutch 54 adjusted to the particular users requirements.

An elastomeric crutch tip 110 is secured upon the bottom end of the tube 106. The term elastomer is to be construed as including any substance having the resilient cushioning properties of rubber. It is intended to include the use of synthetic resins or plastics.

It is preferred that a crutch of the construction herein described will be made of very light weight metal tubing but possess sufiicient strength to provide the necessary support. Furthermore, the crutch is demountable and parts thereof slidably telescopable for mounting within a compact carrying case in accordance with the illustration of FIGURE ,1. The case of FIGURE 1 can be characterized as a small attach case, defined as a fiat, preferably rectangular case of leather or plastic as commonly employed for carrying papers, books, etc. Characteristically this is a small, flattened and very compact structure which readily adapts itself to transportation in cramped quarters, as in modern-day airplanes. A substantial advance to the art is provided by the present invention so that the user is conveniently provided with a necessary and beneficial crutch when needed and an inconspicuous light small case therefor when not in use or when transported.

Although the invention has been claimed in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is understood that numerous and extensive departures may be made herein without, however, departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a case member having a base, said base surrounded by a peripheral upstanding wall, brace means positioned substantially close to a transverse center line of said base, means securing said brace to said base, said brace comprising a support means, first retainer means cooperating with said support means to hold an object on the brace, a hand grip and arm support sleeve crutch unit having the hand grip portion releasably secured by said first retainer means to said support means, second retainer means secured in spaced relation at one side of said brace means detachably securing a main support tube crutch unit to the case, third retainer means secured in spaced relation to an opposite side of said brace means detachably securing an extension tubular base crutch unit to the case, and cover means associated with said base and adapted to close said case.

2. The invention of claim 1 in which the cover is a base member of similar form to said first base member and has a corresponding peripheral surrounding wall, hinge means securing said corresponding walls together, carrying means on one of the said walls, and coacting latch means carried by the peripheral wall of the base members.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the cover base member carries brace and retainer means, corresponding to those recited which are secured to the first base memher, to retain corresponding parts of a second crutch unit, and wherein the brace means on the cover is secured to the cover base substantially close to and on an opposite side of the transverse center line of the base to that of the mounting of the brace of said first base member, and wherein the hand grip and arm support sleeve crutch unit of the second crutch unit retained in the base of the cover of the case is oppositely disposed to that of the hand grip and arm support sleeve crutch unit of the first base, whereby when the case is closed there is no interference between crutch parts carried by one base member of the case with those carried by the other.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said brace is of substantially U shape, having a bight portion, and spaced arm portions extending transversely of the bight portion in a common direction, means securing said bight portion to said base, said arm portions each including a semicircular recess at the terminal end and thereby defining a cradle-like support, and said first retainer means comprising strap fastening means.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said hand grip and arm support sleeve crutch unit comprises a first tube, a hand grip member having a bored hub embracing an intermediate portion of said first tube and secured thereto and having a hand grip arm portion extending transversely of said tube, an elastomeric hand grip member on said hand grip arm portion, a second tube telescoping relative to said first tube, means holding said first and second tubes together in axial adjustment, a support bar having a stud portion inserted into one end of said second tube, pivot means on said support bar, and an arm clamping sleeve secured to said pivot means of said support bar.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said main support tube crutch unit comprises tWo telescoping tubes, with one of the tubes being relatively shorter than the other tube and having fastening means at each end, to provide a connection with one end of said longer tube and to provide a connection with another telescoping tube placed in end-to-end relationship with said longer tube.

7. The invention of claim 5 wherein said base crutch unit comprises a third tube telescoping relative to said longer tube of said main support tube crutch unit, means 6 of said longer tube together, and crutch tip on the other end of said third tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,748,926 6/1956 Leahy 20616 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

for securing one end of said third tube and the other end 10 RICE Assistant Examiner- 

1. IN COMBINATION, A CASE MEMBER HAVING A BASE, SAID BASE SURROUNDED BY A PERIPHERAL UPSTANDING WALL, BRACE MEANS POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSE TO A TRANSVERSE CENTER LINE OF SAID BASE, MEANS SECURING SAID BRACE TO SAID BASE, SAID BRACE COMPRISING A SUPPORT MEANS, FIRST RETAINER MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID SUPPORT MEANS TO HOLD AN OBJECT ON THE BRACE, A HAND GRIP AND ARM SUPPORT SLEEVE CRUTCH UNIT HAVING THE HAND GRIP PORTION RELEASABLY SECURED BY SAID FIRST RETAINER MEANS TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, SECOND RETAINER MEANS SECURED IN SPACED RELATION AT ONE SIDE OF SAID BRACE MEANS DETACHABLY SECURING A MAIN SUPPORT TUBE CRUTCH UNIT TO THE CASE, THIRD RETAINER MEANS SECURED IN SPACED RELATION TO AN OPPOSITE SIDE OF 